Lead the Way
Disclaimer: I don't own Bones (mores the pity)
"No Booth, there's no need for that. You just stay there and rest your leg…" Brennan assured as she studied the partially reconstructed skull on her desk.
On the other side of the phone conversation, Booth was stretched out glaring at his leg with the offending bright blue brace. "Bones, I know that, I'm just bored out of my mind," he groused and then paused briefly before adding, "And I want to make sure you're taking care of yourself."
With a sigh Brennan replied, "I'm fine. As soon as I finish with this skull I'm going out with Angela to lunch."
"Hey, I'm just concerned…I mean you are eating for two now." As Booth said this, a silly grin spread across his face, just like it did every time he brought up the subject of Brennan's pregnancy.
Pausing in her work she asked, "You do realize that one of us is an embryo the size of a kidney bean, right?"
"Kidney bean or not, you need to make sure you're eating enough."
With a smile she replied, "Booth, I've seen how much you think I need to eat… I'm going to develop gestational diabetes if you have your way."
As they continued their conversation Brennan pieced together the remaining bone fragments to the skull and sat studying the major structures when a figure filled her doorway.
"Are you Doctor Brennan," the suit clad man asked from the door.
Giving him an assessing stare Brennan told Booth, "I'll have to call you back."
Feeling some regret that their conversation would have to wait Booth replied, "Yeah, sure. Talk to you later."
"Ok" Brennan replied while motioning the man into her office.
He was dressed in a plain black suit similar to the one Booth wore when they first began working together.
"Dr. Brennan, I'm Special Agent Ross Capelli. I've been temporarily assigned as the Jeffersonian liaison while Agent Booth is recovering, "he explained as he stepped into the office and glanced around.
Brennan stared at him a moment, as if trying to comprehend what he was saying.
At her silence Capelli cleared his throat, "We have a case Dr. Brennan."
That caught Brennan's attention, and tamping down on her irritation that the FBI could so easily replace Booth (albeit temporarily) she told him to meet her in the front of the building in ten minutes.
The agent nodded, "Ten minutes," and left her office.
Brennan quickly packed her bag and took it out into the lab, intent on joining the agent as quickly as possible. She was waylaid when a soft growl of hunger emanated from her stomach, reminding her that she had not had lunch. Laying her bag on one of the exam tables surrounding the forensics platform, Brennan made a beeline to the break room and the yogurt she had in there.
After finishing two yogurt cups Brennan felt ready to join Capelli and headed out to do so, when she was stopped by one of her graduate student interns.
"Dr. Brennan, I was wondering if the skull reconstruction was complete, so that I can begin marking tissue depth."
Remembering her project from this morning Brennan nodded, feeling only slightly chagrined that it had slipped from her mind, "Yes, Rachael, I'll bring it to your station."
She turned and hurried across the lab, aware that she was well past the ten minutes she promised the agent.
Grabbing the skull and its tray she turned to leave the office.
As she crossed the forensics lab she was so busy studying the skull she didn't notice the approach of Agent Capelli and the two collided with a loud crash that sent the fragile skull tumbling to the floor.
From up on the forensics platform, Wendell Bray broke the ensuing silence with, "Oh my God…"
Brennan and Capelli stared down at the scattered shards of what was once the skull of a pre-bronze age adult male.
Capelli echoed Wendell's, "Oh my God…"
Brennan held up a staying hand before asking, her voice soft and frosty, "Agent Capelli, did the FBI explain what your duties to the Jeffersonian were?"
He was confused by this question, "Duties, Dr. Brennan?"
Her voice rising slightly in volume she asked, "You do realize you're here to help our work, not destroy it, right?"
The censure in her tone irked Capelli enough that he retorted, "Yeah, they told me that," and then glancing down at his watch, "they also said I was to get you to the crime scene as quickly as possible. Looks like I'm shit at both jobs today."
"Perhaps the FBI should have assigned a more proficient agent to the Jeffersonian. I'll be sure to discuss that the next time I see your director," Brennan said as she grabbed her bag from the nearby table. Then she turned to Wendell, "Mr. Bray, have Rachael recollect these fragments and then work on the tissue depth markers for the new limbo case we pulled. I'll be back later this afternoon to review your progress."
With that she walked away, leaving Capelli staring after her. When she made it to the sliding glass doors at the entrance to the lab she turned back to the agent, "Agent Capelli, I'll be waiting out front."
Once Brennan was well out of ear shot Capelli turned to Wendell, "How do you deal with her?"
Wendell chuckled softly before answering, "Dr. Brennan is the best in the field. Hundreds of people apply for each spot as an intern here. Getting to work with her is a privilege."
Scoffing he replied, "That bitch, a privilege?"
Turning serious Wendell advised the agent, "She's a perfectionist, and she expects people to do their jobs. Do your job and you'll get along fine"
"Great, twenty weeks of training at Quantico, and now I'm a glorified babysitter for a temperamental scientist," as he spoke Capelli walked across the lab to follow Brennan out.
Wendell called out across the lab, "Just remember if you don't do your job Dr. Brennan will be the least of your problems."
This warning gave Capelli pause and he turned to ask a little exasperated, "Who else do I need to worry about?"
Wendell's answer was simple, "Booth."